By Lucy Heffernan
I never thought being a fairy would take me so many places. As a kid’s party entertainer working in Sydney, one of the many casual jobs I’ve had trying to make a living as a creative, it was a job I loved and loathed. The curious thing about being a fairy is that there are so many rules to follow, and the role can feel quite the opposite of ‘magical’.
I had so many stories: of face painting fails and horrible costumes, of painful parents and parties gone wrong. It was only a matter of time before I transformed my life experience into a one-woman show.
And so Party Girl, a rock n’ roll monologue with music, was born. It’s a show about the reality of being a fairy, without the glitter. Well, maybe a bit of glitter. Party Girl also grapples with mental health issues, class and challenges notions of traditional feminine behaviour. It’s like seeing a stand-up comedy gig with songs that will make you cry, but there’s also party hats. And a unicorn rap.
It’s the work closest to my heart and I am so proud to share this show… for the first time overseas!
I first developed this work at Merrigong in 2019. I grew up in Wollongong and it felt important to make my first work at home. After two weeks of development we presented the show over three nights in the Bob Peet Studio as part of the MerrigongX 2019 program.
Since then, Party Girl has travelled the country: Newcastle, Adelaide Fringe Festival (twice) and Sydney. In 2023, Party Girl took home a weekly award at the Adelaide Fringe Festival for Best Theatre.
Produced by Purple Tape Productions, now we’re flying all the way to Edinburgh for the 2024 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Invited to play at Summerhall for the ENTIRE month of August, it’s a huge opportunity, and we have less than two months until we touch down in Scotland!
With this opportunity comes huge financial costs – flights, accommodation, venue hire, marketing… the list goes on. Our small but mighty team have thrown all their cash into making this happen, but we need your help to get there!
If you have anything spare to donate, please head to our Australian Cultural Fund and make a donation! All donations are tax deductible and your support will go a long way in covering the many costs associated with taking an indie show international.
The entire Party Girl team are graduates/staff of the University of Wollongong’s Bachelor of Performance Degree. The show is co-directed by Dr Tim Maddock and Lily Hayman, produced by Tyler Fitzpatrick and Lily Hayman, written and performed by myself, Lucy Heffernan (currently completing a Bachelor of Creative Arts Honours at UOW).
Taking this show abroad is a huge win for the Wollongong community. Party Girl wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for Wollongong and all the wonderful creatives and opportunities to create bold new work that exist here. So please support us!
Donate to the Australian Cultural Fund here.